


A Place to Belong

by Dionte



Series: Chosen Week 2019 [1]
Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Carnival, F/M, Festivals, Fireworks, First Dates, Post-Game(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 19:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17350898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dionte/pseuds/Dionte
Summary: The world is a lonely place after you’d traveled it with friends. But it’s okay, because there will always be a place for you.For Chosen Week 2019, Day One: Festival





	A Place to Belong

How long had it been, Colette thought, since everyone was together? After their journey of the last year, it had been strange to get used to life in the reunited world. Especially how lonely it was. It had been so different, travelling by herself as the symbol of peace in the new world- the last Chosen of Regeneration.

 

But today, the reconstruction of Palmacosta was complete! Regal and Ms. Dorr were hosting a festival in the town, and she knew Regal had invited everybody to it. So finally, they were all going to be together again.

 

“Colette, sweetheart, if you want to fly there a little early, you can.”

 

Colette looked to her father. He and her grandmother were attending as well, so they’d hired a carriage. Or rather, Regal had kindly hired a carriage for them. She felt it would be rude to fly ahead, but at the same time…

 

“I don’t want to just leave you behind.”

 

“Colette, dear… Go ahead,” her grandmother affirmed. “We’ll be there soon enough.”

 

Smiling at her family, she opened the carriage door- much to the bewilderment of the driver- summoned her wings, and flew. She glided across the land quick as she could- until she saw a white and blue speck with a red one chattering at the entrance to town. She put away her wings, but ran with the same elation towards her friends.

 

“Lloyd! Genis-” They turned to face her, and she tripped.

 

But even though everyone was on the ground, they all had smiles. Genis’s was a little annoyed, but she could see the pleasure there as well. And Lloyd… Lloyd was cheerful as ever.

 

“Hey Colette!”

 

“Hi Lloyd! It’s so good to see you Genis!”

 

“Yeah, it’s been a while.”

 

“I leave for a second and you all are on the ground. This brings back memories,” Raine muttered, walking up to them with a restrained smile.

 

“Professor!”

 

“Hello Colette. It’s good to see you.”

 

“Welcome back sis.”

 

Professor Raine helped them all up, then gestured to the town. “It looks like the festival has already begun. Presea and Regal are already there, and I haven’t seen Zelos or Sheena yet.”

 

“What? Zelos isn’t here yet? This seems like the sort of thing he’d be early to,” Lloyd said.

 

Colette had to agree, but he and Sheena were often busy. Sheena with her missions, and Zelos as Chosen. Colette may have received the official title of Chosen of Regeneration, but she knew next to nothing about the politics and laws. She was more involved as the face of the Church.

 

Regardless, everyone entered the town to partake in the festivities. Colette spoke with Genis and Lloyd, catching up with them about their exploits. Raine and Genis were making some progress about half-elf racism, though it sounded like a growing rift between Tethe’allans and Sylvaranti was the cause. Lloyd had been travelling around the world, collecting exspheres as he’d promised to.

 

He saw Sheena soon after and ran to catch up with her, leaving her alone with Genis.

 

“Are you worried about it?”

 

Genis glanced at her, and nodded. “Even if it’s not against half-elves, it’s rough to see. And it just… It reminds me…” He paused.

 

“It reminds you…?”

 

“It’s nothing. Never mind. I… I’m gonna try to find Presea! See ya, Colette!”

 

“W-wait! Genis!

 

She watched him run into the crowd, feeling her face crumple a little. She’d hoped… Well, she hadn’t wanted to be alone, though she knew Genis was struggling a lot as well. More recently Genis would just... Sink into thought and get a distant look in his eyes. She knew he was thinking about Mithos.

 

… She just didn’t know how to help him.

 

“Brat’s was thinking about Mithos again, wasn’t he?”

 

Colette jumped.

 

Zelos was right behind her, surprise on his face until a grin settled in. “Didn’t mean to startle you, little angel.”

 

She smiled. Zelos had always made her feel more relaxed, whether it was because of his laid-back nature or his own understanding of her struggles. “I didn’t know you’d arrived. And you took so long to show up! Was the church holding you back?”

 

“Nah. Seles tagged along, but she was completely exhausted by the time she got here.”

 

“Oh no! Is she alright?”

 

A gentle expression warmed Zelos’s face, and Colette wished she could see this side more often. “Yeah. She’ll be fine. She’s resting at the inn right now. Speakin’ of family though-” he cocked his head to her. “Frank and Phaidra are staying with her. Said they’d keep an eye on her until the fireworks.”

 

“What?! O-oh. Are they alright with that? We were all supposed to be together.”

 

“They seemed fine with it. Said…” Zelos halted, and a strange expression crossed his face before he continued. “Uh. They… said they wanted you to have fun before the funeral rites tomorrow.”

 

Colette looked down. So he knew about that. Though there was this festival tonight, she was directing the funeral for all those who had been killed by the Giant Tree in Palmacosta. And based on the sound of it, no one else had really known about it… Well. Besides Regal. He’d planned it.

 

“I see.”

 

They stood there in silence for a moment, the festival around them loud and happy. Colette was looking down, until a hand entered her vision.

 

“So, angel, you’ve never been to a festival, right? Then- if you would- I, the great Chosen Zelos, shall show you the time of your life!”

 

He wore a grin and gave a wink, and she couldn’t help but return the smile. She laid her hand in his, and they went to the festival proper. Zelos told her about some of the grand festivals they’d had in Meltokio, and how he would sneak away from his church duties to play instead.

 

“I’ll admit though, Regal can throw a good party. They’ve got dancing over here! C’mon!”

 

He twirled her through a number, making her laugh with grandiose gestures and smiles. By the end they were both worn out, but with a cheeky smirk he’d said the night had only just begun. They began sampling the local foods, until Colette ended up with a strawberry crepe and Zelos with a melon ice cream.

 

“I see you eyeing my treat, angel. I’ll let you try it if I can try yours~”

 

Colette wasn’t sure why it made her blush.

 

The night was in full swing when they found something that made Colette stop dead in her tracks.

 

It was a huge, adorable, fuzzy dog. Not a real one. A stuffed animal. But it was so cute. Zelos noticed her attention waver, and immediately caught on to what she was staring at. He looked it over for a moment, then leaned towards her.

 

“You want that?”

 

Colette could only nod.

 

“Looks like it’s a prize if you do enough stuff here.”

 

“Enough stuff?”

 

“Yeah. You noticed how we got those tokens when we bought the snacks? If you eat or play games at these stands, you get them. Get enough and you can exchange them for a prize, like that fella’ you’re staring at.”

 

“So, if we play games we can get him?”

 

“That’s right!”

 

“Zelos! Teach me how to play them all.”

 

Zelos blinked at her, then a wide smile spread across his face. “You got it, angel.”

 

And he did. He took her through the different stands and told her how to play each game, occasionally playing with her and receiving some of the tokens for himself. Soon, she had gotten the hang of it, and was rapidly earning prizes. Soon, soon she would have enough-

 

Bang!

 

A shot went off in the sky.

 

Then silence.

 

“That means the fireworks will be starting soon,” Zelos stated.

 

But that meant… She didn’t have enough, and she couldn’t choose a stuffed animal over her family. She could never be that selfish. She looked up at the night sky, sad. Sure, it was just a little thing, but after such a nice night…

 

She gave a large smile, “I guess we should head back to the inn, then.”

 

“Let’s at least redeem some of those tokens.”

 

Colette nodded, and they headed back to the prizes. The fellow manning the station took count of their tokens and told them to choose quick. Colette was about to run off when a hand grabbed her wrist. She looked blankly at Zelos, who was still looking at the other guy.

 

“Can we combine our points?”

 

“Uh… Well, I guess there isn’t any policies against-”

 

“Fantastic, my man. We want the big dog friend over there.”

 

The man looked back and forth between them, before sighing and moving to get it. While he was struggling with it, Colette turned to Zelos.

 

“... I-I don’t know if I can accept this…”

 

“Why not?”

 

“W-well. Those were your tokens. You should have gotten something you wanted with them. Y-you didn’t have to, I mean, for me…”

 

Zelos just stared at her for a moment, before leaning back against the stand’s counter. “Y’know, Colette… I am getting something I want.”

 

“H-huh?”

 

“At the beginning of this, I said I was gonna show you the time of your life, right?”

 

“Well, yeah, but-”

 

“I like it when you’re happy.”

 

Colette was speechless.

 

The man arrived with the gigantic dog, and Zelos held it to his side with a smirk.

 

“So, Colette, will you remain my angel for the rest of the night?”

 

A blush exploded on her face, and Colette stole the dog from him. She hugged it tight, burying her burning face into it as she replied.

 

“Y-yes…”

 

The fireworks that night were beautiful. Her and Zelos watched it with their family from the inn’s second floor. Colette’s heart felt full, in a way she wasn’t sure she’d ever experienced before, even during her journey of regeneration. There was just something so wondrous about being alive. She found her gaze wandering over everyone in the room, before landing on Zelos. Yes. There was something wondrous about knowing that you belong.


End file.
